First of all thank you for this website. Really helpful tutorial and forum and yes, I did walk into a Mattress Firm store and was appalled at the lack of information that the salesman either didn’t know or didn’t want to tell me. I’m looking for guidance on a latex hybrid queen mattress preferably under $1000. All latex would be ideal but too expensive and I’m comfortable with the trade off of somewhat less durability. I’ve settled on a latex comfort layer due to trying out latex mattresses in stores and advice from this website and others. Current mattress is a 14 year old Tempurpedic classic which I think is 2" 5 lb memory foam over polyfoam which I liked except for sleeping hot and the feeling of sleeping “in” the mattress. The latex gives a springier, faster response, with more of a sleeping on top feel which I prefer to the memory foam and it should be cooler. That’s important because I’ve moved to southern Florida.
I’m a 5’9" 140 lb somewhat skinny female and usually sleep on my side and sometimes on my back. Would prefer something cushier than my Tempurpedic but with the same support. So the questions are - does a latex over polyfoam sound like a good compromise given my cost constraints? Also, what are the good local mattress stores in my area or should I buy over the internet?
There is a local mattress store in my area called Bedmasters in Port Charlotte that custom manufactures beds. They would sell me a 3" Talalay latex ILD 24 layer over 6" of HD polyfoam of either 2.1 or 2.3 lb density for $900. It felt wonderful when I tried it out for about 10 minutes for spinal alignment and pressure points. What do you think about this combo and would there be anywhere else to look in Venice, Englewood, or Port Charlotte Florida? My zip is 33947.
For internet beds the $600 Ultimate Dreams latex mattress sounds good from the reviews on Amazon and this website and has mostly the same specs except that the Ultimate Dreams has lower density polyfoam (bad but might be OK anyway because I’m not overweight) but does have a soft reflex foam layer (good?). I’ve read various posts on this website about the change in polyfoam density on this mattress and it sounds like it’s not a big problem. Does the reflex foam layer give it more of a plush feeling? Given my somewhat bony and fairly wide hips and rapidly advancing age of 59 something medium to soft sounds like a good idea. Any other beds available online should I consider with my body type and preferences? What ILD in the comfort layer would be appropriate and should I consider something besides 3" Talalay for the comfort layer? Any suggestions are appreciated.
Hi Viveca,
You can read more about the differences between a latex polyfoam hybrid and an all latex mattress in post #2 here but a latex/polyfoam hybrid would certainly make sense for those that are in a lower budget range and can’t afford an all latex mattress.
In most cases and for most people that are not in heavier weight ranges I would certainly agree.
There are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to make specific suggestions about the design of a mattress that may be best for someone else in terms of PPP based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). Either your own personal testing and experience or a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced online retailer or manufacturer (when you can’t test a specific mattress in person) are the most reliable way to choose the firmness level and design that you believe would work best for you. They will know more about their mattresses and which of the options they have available would have the best chance of success than anyone else.
There are a number of reasons for using a polyfoam quilting layer over latex. One of them is usually for some additional softness/plushness but this can also vary depending on the quilting pattern and the foam used because it can also be used to create a firmer sleeping surface. Another is that latex is a very resilient material and there are many people that prefer a less resilient and more “relaxed” sleeping surface vs sleeping directly on the latex. There are other reasons as well and there is more about the pros and cons of different types of quilting layers and materials in post #12 here and the posts it links to.
Outside of the link to the list of members in the tutorial post that include most of the better online latex and latex hybrid options that I’m aware of … posts #3 and #4 here also include several lower budget options for latex or latex hybrids that may be helpful or that you can use as a reference point for the “value” of any local purchase based on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. The choice between online and a local purchase and the risks involved in either one is really a matter of personal preference. There is more about the pros and cons of an online vs a local purchase in this topic and some of the links in reply #4 of the topic.
The better local options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, FL area are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix